A conspiracy was hatched among the executives of Bofors, middlemen and officials of the Government and a commission of Rs 64 crore was paid for the purchase of 410 FH-77 guns for Rs 1,438 crore. Bofors continues to haunt the Congress. The red-corner notice on Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi was clandestinely removed despite his arrests in Malaysia and Argentina while his banks accounts were defreezed.

The Supreme Court took up the issue and directed the CBI to submit a report on it. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati had initiated a project worth Rs 175 crore in 2002 to develop the Taj Mahal area to attract tourists. In its report, the CBI charged her with embezzlement. Three PILs have been filed. The CBI failed to get clearance from the Uttar Pradesh governor to prosecute Mayawati in June 2007. Since then, the matter is conveniently gathering dust.

JAYALALITHAA "GIFT" CASE

Rs 3 croreCase started: In 1996 Status: Pending

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa received a donation of Rs 3 crore from abroad and showed it in her tax returns of 1992-93. Since it was a gift in foreign exchange, no tax was levied. But when P. Chidambaram took over as the finance minister in the H.D. Deve Gowda government, he asked the CBI to identify the source of the donation. The investigation is still on.

DISPROPORTIONATE ASSETS CASE AGAINST MULAYAM SINGH YADAV AND SONS

Rs 100 croreCase registered: In 2007 Status: Pending

A petition brought to notice the Rs 100-crore worth properties acquired by Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family. The apex court ordered a CBI probe following which the agency claimed to have gathered sufficient evidence to book Mulayam. In July 2008, however, the Congress had aligned with the Samajwadi Party following the Left's withdrawal of support. Efforts began to dilute the case after which the Supreme Court pulled up the CBI for "acting at the behest" of the Centre.

DISPROPORTIONATE ASSETS CASE AGAINST LALU PRASAD YADAV AND RABRI DEVI

Rs 46 LAKHCase registered: In 2001 Status: Acquitted

The couple was accused of amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs 46 lakh between 1990 and 1997 when Lalu was in power. In 2004, when he became the Railway minister, and a key ally of the upa, the cbi went easy. After two years, a special cbi court acquitted him and his wife. But the state Government under Nitish Kumar appealed against the acquittal in Patna High Court. Lalu and the cbi went to the apex court against this move of the state Government. The apex court ruled in their favour in April 2010 acquitting Lalu.

A disproportionate assets case against former Communications minister Sukh Ram was being investigated by the CBI. He was accused of amassing assets worth Rs 4.3 crore. In 1996, the CBI recovered Rs 3.62 crore in loose change from his homes in Delhi and Mandi. The chargesheet was filed in 1997. After 13 years of trial in February 2009, the special CBI court sentenced Sukh Ram to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2 lakh.

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